Notre Dame football: Irish will have new-look specialists in 2022
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team now has a vacancy at the punter position, one that could be filled immediately by true freshman Bryce McFerson.
On Monday, it was announced that former Notre Dame football punter Jay Bramblett would in fact be transferring, and landing in LSU with his former head coach, Brian Kelly. Bramblett has been the punter for the Irish across the last three seasons, averaging over 41 yards per punt, and had a career-long 72-yard bomb against Wisconsin this past year.
Replacing Bramblett will likely be a true freshman in 2022, as Bryce McFerson will head to South Bend as a member of their latest recruiting class. Bramblett was a constant for the Irish in some huge games, including the Fiesta Bowl, where he ended up punting seven times.
Notre Dame football turns to a true freshman at punter
Originally, McFerson committed to Wake Forest, but after visiting South Bend, and getting an offer, he quickly jumped at the chance to play for the Irish. A product of Metrolina Christian Academy in North Carolina, McFerson was widely considered one of the best punters in the country coming out of high school and recently played in the All-American Bowl on January 8.
McFerson will join what will be a new-look specialists unit in 2022, with Jonathan Doerer graduating, and being replaced by a redshirt freshman in Josh Bryan. Notre Dame football also has a new special teams coordinator this upcoming season, as Brian Mason comes over from Cincinnati, and is considered a home run hire by first-year head coach Marcus Freeman.
For years, Irish fans have had the luxury of seeing Doerer and Bramblett handle the kicking and punting duties, but sometimes, change is good. Sure, there will be some hiccups along the way, but if McFerson and Bryan are solid, the Irish will once again be set at these two positions for years.